Director, R&D Program Management (Cortex Cloud)

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we’re united by a shared mission—to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you’re ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you’re in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That’s why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it’s needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Description

The Team

Our engineering team is at the core of our products and connected directly to the mission of preventing cyberattacks. We are constantly innovating — challenging the way we, and the industry, think about cybersecurity. Our engineers don’t shy away from building products to solve problems no one has pursued before.

We define the industry instead of waiting for directions. We need individuals who feel comfortable in ambiguity, excited by the prospect of a challenge, and empowered by the unknown risks facing our everyday lives that are only enabled by a secure digital environment.

Job Summary

The Director of R&D Program Management is the organizational authority for program execution and delivery discipline across all R&D. Reporting to the SR Dir. of R&D Operations.

This leader defines and governs the R&D Operating Model, the core practices, processes, and systems that ensure predictable delivery and cross-functional alignment. The role leads large-scale organizational transformation and applies deep change management expertise to improve the product release process significantly.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, an exceptional leader, and a strong collaborator who excels in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Management Leadership - Define the R&D Operating Model and lead program management for the organization. Establish unified planning, execution, risk-management, and reporting standards, and maintain the R&D Program Management Playbook
• Cross-Functional Delivery Ownership - Ensure predictable, on-time execution of strategic programs spanning multiple R&D groups. Build the governance mechanisms, escalation paths, and portfolio-level visibility needed for effective cross-group delivery
• Transformation & Change Management - Lead the organizational transformation toward monthly release readiness and future continuous-delivery capabilities. Drive end-to-end change management, run maturity assessments, and deliver clear, data-driven progress reporting to executives
• Strategic Program Execution & People Leadership - Own execution of the most complex, high-risk cross-functional programs. Mentor and scale the Program Management team, set the execution bar, and contribute to hiring, onboarding, and talent development discipline
  
  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Proven technical background with hands-on experience managing R&D related processes such as program management, support management, and release management at scale. 10+ years of experience in leading R&D related processes, out of which at least 5 years in a large organization
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with sales, product, and engineering teams
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills, with a proven ability to lead and inspire diverse, global teams
• Demonstrated experience in process optimization, automation, and leveraging technology to enhance technical deployment
• Extensive leadership in program management, supported by a strong technical background and hands-on experience managing R&D-related processes such as program management, change management, and release management. Includes 10+ years leading R&D operations, with at least 5 in a large-scale organization
• Deep expertise in organizational transformation and change management, with a proven track record driving adoption of new operating models and delivery frameworks at scale
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-impact, multi-group initiatives by establishing effective governance and ensuring predictable outcomes across engineering teams
• Strong people-leadership skills, with experience managing direct reports and multiple program managers in a matrixed environment, mentoring teams, and building high-performing Program Management organizations
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with a consistent ability to align engineering, product, operations, and executive stakeholders
  
  

Additional Information

Our Commitment

We’re problem solvers that take risks and challenge cybersecurity’s status quo. It’s simple: we can’t accomplish our mission without diverse teams innovating, together.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with a disability. If you require assistance or accommodation due to a disability or special need, please contact us at accommodations@paloaltonetworks.com.

Palo Alto Networks is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity in our workplace, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or other legally protected characteristics.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.